About

I’ve spent my whole life thinking about food, writing about it, and looking at how the changing world impacts what and how we eat. 

I grew up in Kentucky with my Irish mother and Indian father in a large family that melded those cultures with the South in our gardens and at our table. Food has always inspired me, and I worked in restaurants, catering, and hotels while earning degrees in journalism (Loyola University Chicago) and culinary arts (The Culinary Institute of America), and sipping and studying my way to pass the certificate level of the Court of Master Sommelier exam. 

After working in restaurants, foodservice and restaurant marketing, and as a corporate consulting chef, I began to focus on writing and editing. I spent 20 years working in media, in staff positions as the food director of Food & Wine and the editor in chief of Plate, and freelancing for other publications including Epicurious, Food52, and Gravy. I’ve won multiple awards for my writing and editing work, including nominations for James Beard and IACP awards for my cookbooks. As well, I have won the IACP member of the year award, a McAllister Editorial Fellowship, several Jesse H. Neal awards and Folio awards, and an Association of Food Journalists award.
Today, I’m writer, editor, cookbook author, and culinary trend-spotter — and still can’t stop thinking about what we’re eating and why.